Canberra: Vaccines in Peril

The Canberra Skeptics will be hosting a lecture by Ken McLeod at the Lecture Theatre, Innovations Building, Eggleston Rd, ANU.

In Australia, thanks to a large and vocal anti-vaccination lobby – particularly the Australian [anti]Vaccination Network (AVN) – we are facing outbreaks of diseases we thought were beaten.

A large group of health professionals, members of the Australian Skeptics, and lay people have formed an alliance called Stop the AVN (SAVN) to counter this propaganda. The campaign’s first major success was the public warning issued by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission concerning the AVN.

One of Canberra’s Skeptics, Ken McLeod, is a leader of SAVN. He was awarded the Australian Skeptics’ 2010 Thornett Award for the Promotion of Reason. He also shared in the Australian Skeptics’ 2010 Skeptic of the Year Award which was awarded to SAVN.

Ken will describe Australia’s anti-vaccination lobby, and what is being done about it. He will also brief us on similar campaigns overseas.

Ken is a retired navigator, air traffic controller, the Search And Rescue (SAR) national manager, an Australian aviation representative on two United Nations committees and a Senate researcher. He is now an investor, boutique farmer and stirrer. Ken came to skepticism after being bothered by “psychics” and crackpot inventors for 20 years in the SAR. He submitted complaints to the Health Care Complaints Commission and the Office of Liquor Gaming and Racing targeting the Australian (anti-) Vaccination Network.

Bookings are not necessary for the lecture. However, to RSVP for the dinner, please contact mail@nullskeptics.org.au.